Combined chair and table



March 28; 1950 M. LOEWY COMBINED CHAIR AND TABLE Filed Nov. 19, 1945 Patented Mar. 28, 1950 I 2,502,383 COMBINED CHAIR atheism *Max Lo'ewy; Los 'Ange'les, Calif. Florence Osofsky administratrixof said Max Loewy, deceased Application November 19, 1945, 'SerialNo. 629; 164

1-Claim. '(Cl. 155---'123) structed and relatively arranged that the oceupantlunay at wili readily' causethe table to be movedirom' conceaiect position into position oi nscandias readily swung into concealed position.

One o'ff theimp'orta'n't objects of this invention isi to provide anextensible table unit such as describedwhifchisespeciallyadapted: for overstuffed or upholstered chairs: or "the like in that such an article of furniture may be readily and inexpensively modified for installation of the table unit therein without changing its contour or ap pearance or adding bulk.

Another" object of this invention is to provide a" chair-table combination such: as described in which the chair or the like isprovided a side or arm thereof? with a compartment that is normally closed by a swinging: door arranged to con c eal and hold in place in said compartment an extensible table unit having associated therewith a spring means which operates when the occupant unlatches' and opens the door, to swing the table into position of use with the door then subject to being swung under the extended table into closed position in which it will prevent coilapse of the table.

Another object of this invention is to provide a chair-table combination such as described in which the door for the compartment in the chair is: spring loaded to close with aweaker spring load thanthat of the table whereby when the occupantunlatches and partly opens the door, the: table will swing up and forcethe door into fully open position, with the table coming to rest in position of use above and clear of the door, whereupon the door will-automatically swing into closed; position and lie under the table asmeans to prevent collapse of the table.

A further object is to provide a chair-table combination such as described in which the table when swung down behind the open door may be readily pushed into concealed position in the compartment upon closing the door thereby facilitating the moving of the table into concealed position and the closing of the door in one operation which may be readily performed by the occupant of the chair.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides'in the parts and in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is'a side elevation of'-'a chair embodying the present invention, being broken away in part to show the hinged door; I

Fig. 2 is an eniarge'd' fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 2- 2 of Fig. 1';

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the chair and table unit showing the table extended into position of' use;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of the chair and table unit showing in full lines the table extended and the door closed and showing in, dashed linesthe door opened and the table partly extended and as when free to be raised into position or u e. I

l-ls sl iow'n in thea'ccompanving" drawing my invention is embodied in an upholstered arm chair A but obviously may be carriedout with d'avenports and the like as well as with other types of chairs and seats having sides or arrhs or other portions suitable for accommodating the table unit in the manner here shown and described.

In the present embodiment the upholstered chair A has one of its arms B and the side con;- tigu'ous said arm formed with a compartment or recess 0 which opens;on the outer face of said side" of the chair and terminates at its upper hd below'thearm re'st portion of the arm B. y The compartment on ciosedby means of a door D hinged as at 4 to a frame 5' and adapted to be latched in closed position by means of of streams spring loaded or other type 'l'at'ch' 6 arranged so that it'can" be operated by the occupant of the chair. I I p In interpret the door will be" self-closing I employ a spring T'se'cured at oneend to the'door at 8 and at its other end as at 9 to the frame 5.

It should be noted that the door E has a flush fit when closed in the side of the chair and therefore may be upholstered to match the chair whereby said door will be inconspicuous and not detract from the appearance of the chair.

In accordance with my invention a table unit is mounted in the compartment C for movement into and out of position of use and as here shown includes a table top It] fixed to certain corresponding ends of bracket arms II which arms are pivoted as at I2 at their other ends to the frame 5. The arms are of such length that the table top H] may be swung from concealed and upright position within the compartment C as shown in Fig. 2 into extended position projecting horizontally outwardly from the arm B of the chair just below the top of said arm as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The portions of the arms II that are fixed to the table member I are straight whereas the remaining portions are curved as at I I so that they will lie close against and conform to the curvature of the arm B of the chair when the top is in position of use. Moreover, these curved portions make it possible for the door to swing under the arms II into closed position, when the table is extended as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, whereby the door will act as a support for said arms and the table top.

Wear plates I3 are countersunk in the top edge of the door so that the curved portions I I' of the arms II may rest thereon when the door is closed.

Springs I 4 are associated with the pivots I2 and abut the arms H and the frame 5 so as to urge the arms and table top into extended positions, being stronger than the door spring I so that they will move the table top against the door and force the door open after the door has been unlatched and partly opened by the occupant of the chair A as will now be described.

When it is desired to extend the table into position of use the occupant of the chair reaches down and releases the latch 6 and swings the door outwardly, the springs I4 then causing the table to follow the door. When the door is opened about half-way, the occupant may release the door and the springs I4 will then force the table top It outwardly and upwardly while pushing the door into fully open position whereupon the door is out of the path of the top and the latter will be raised above the top edge of the door into position shown in Figs. 3 and 4. As soon as that table II! clears the opened door the door spring I will swing the door back into closed position lying under the curved portions I I of the arms I I. There may be a slight clearance between said curved portions II and the top edge of the door whereby the door is free to swing into and out of I fully closed posit on and therefore will be latched when being closed by the spring 1 in the manner above noted. The curved portion II of the arms II abut the outer side of the arm B and limit the upward swinging of the door to a substantially horizontal position in which the aforesaid door clearance is provided. However, should the weight of the articles placed on the table top I0 cause it to be depressed slightly, the curved portions II of the arms II will rest on the wear plates I3 in the top edge of the door and the table top will be securely supported in position of use as long as the door remains in closed position.

When it is desired to return the table top I0 to concealed position within compartment C, the

chair occupant again releases the latch 6 and opens the door, then depresses the top so that it will lie between the door and said compartment, whereupon in continuing the closing movement 01' the door the top will be swung into concealed position and the door will be latched in closed position thereby holding the table in the compartment.

It is now apparent that I have provided a simple and highly efiicient extensible table unit which may be readily and easily embodied in upholstered chairs, davenports, and the like as well as in chairs or the like without upholstering, provided in the latter case a compartment space is afforded thereby or built therein, comparable to the space here shown and in accordance with the showing here made.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction set forth, and the invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a combined chair and table, a chair having a compartment in a side thereof, a hinged door for closing said compartment, a latch for releasably holding the door closed, a table top, arms secured to said top and pivoted within said compartment so that said top may swing from concealed position in said compartment into position or use as a table extending outwardly from said side of the chair as well as swing from said position of use into said concealed position; and spring means operating to swing said arms and top out of said compartment into said position of use upon unlatching and opening the door, said door, said arms and said table top being arranged so that when the top is in position of use the arms will abut the chair and limit the movement of the top to position clear of the door whereby said door may be closed and will lie under said arms to prevent the top from swinging out of position of use, said table top arms having curved portions adapted to abut a part of the arm of the chair which lies above said compartment.

MAX LOEWY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,191,307 Hornschurch July 18, 1916 1,498,319 Dexter June 17, 1924 1,949,405 Bailey Mar. 6, 1934 2,258,782 McKean Oct. 14, 1941 2,330,627 Reynolds Sept. 28, 1943 REFERENCES CITED Number Country Date 217,037 Great Britain June 24, 1924 

